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(No Model.)

G. A. EVANS.

INHALER. No. 339,980. Patented Apr. 13, 1886.

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UNITED STATES PATENT. OFFICE.

' GEORGE A. EVANS, OF BROOKLYN, NE\V YORK.

'INHALER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 339,980, dated April 13, 1886.

Application filed April 6, 1885. Serial No. 161,290.

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE A. Evans, of the city of Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, have invented a new and Improved Vaporizing-Inhaler, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

The device which is the subject of this invention is of that class of inhalers or atomizers more particularly designed for the treatment, as also the prevention,of diseases of the mouth, nose, throat, bronchial tubes, and lungs, either by direct inhalation of medicated vapors from the apparatus, or indirectly by charging the atmosphere of the room which the person to be treated occupies or sleeps in with the vapor produced by the apparatus.

Any liquid that can be sprayed by an ordinary atomizer or spraying-tubes may be used in the apparatus, and it is not restrictedto any particular description of liquid; but the invention consists in aspray-chamber having three apertures arranged out of line with each other, in combination with the bottle or vessel for containing the liquid and the spraying tubes or devices.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, in which similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in both the figures.

Figure 1 represents a mainly sectional vertical view of a vaporizing-inhaler embodying myinvention, and Fig. 2a section, on the line a; a in Fig. 1, of the spray-chamber.

A indicates the receptacle for holding the liquid to be vaporized or sprayed, which receptacle, as here shown, is an ordinary \Volfs bottle, having three months or apertures, b c d. The one, I), of these months serves to receive down through it the drip-tube e of the spray or vapor chamber 13.. The mouth 0 provides for the discharge and entry of air by a tube, 8, when the apparatus is used as an inhaler, or for the escape of vapor into the room when the apparatus is used simply as a vaporizer, and the mouth (1 serves for the passage of the suction-leg of the spray-tube 0 down into the liquid in the bottle. These several months should be fitted with rubber or other corks to make a snug fit or joint for the tubes passing through them.

(No model.)

The spray-tubes G and D may be of the ordinary construction, and be arranged in relation with each other as in atomizers or vaporizers of different kinds. The tube D serves to conduct the compressed air, steam, or other vapor or gas under pressure from a'supplytube, D, to suck or draw up the liquid through the tube 0, and to split or spray it within the chamber B.

The spray-chamber B, which may be made of glass or any suitable material not liable to corrosion or injury by chemical or medicated liquids or solutions, is preferably of spherical or approximately-spherical shape; but so long as the same arrangement of tubes which connect with it is preserved it may be made of an ovoid, octagon, cuboid, rectangular, or other shape. Said chamber has three mouths or openings-namely, a lower one, as formed by the drip-tube e, a front one, f, through a rubber or other stopper in which the spraytubes 0 D project, and a side one, 9, terminat' ing in aneck or tubular projection,with which is connected, by a short tube and cork or otherwise, a respiratory rubber or other tube, E, of any desired size and length, and which is fitted at its outer end with a mouth-piece, F, which may have a mouth-piece, G, having outlet 2', and a side aperture, h, adapted to be closed by the index-finger during inhalatiomand to permit the escape of air during respiration when said finger is removed.

The operation of the apparatus when used as a vaporizing-inhaler is as follows By the action of the compressed air, steam, or other vapor or gas under pressure passing along the tube D a spray of the liquid drawn up from the bottle A through the tube 0 is projected with force against the inside wall of the chamber 13, which faces the discharge ends of the tubes 0 and D. This spray is a mixture of the chemical or medicated liquid or solution drawn from the bottle A, and the air, steam, or gas discharged by the tube D. Said spray striking with force the opposing wall or surface is of the chamber has a rotary or whirling motion communicated to it, and by making said surface of concave form a very perfect effect in this respect is produced. The incoming spray is of course continually playing into the center of the body of the spray in the IOC chamber B, and this, combined with the whirling motion given to the spray by its projection against the inside wall of the chamber 13, produces a thorough churning or agitation of the spray, and causes the hereinbel'ore-specified constituents of the spray to be thoroughly mixed, and the spray to be subdivided or reduced into a very fine vapor resembling in appearance, in fact, cigar-smoke rather than ordinary spray. By reason of its extreme fineness,said spray or vapor may be passed through a great length of large-sized rubber tubing without condensing, thus enabling a person inhaling to select a most comfortable position of repose, or it can be passed into a glass bottle having a temperature of sixty (60) degrees Fahrenheit, or thereabout, and remain there uncondensed for several minutes. It is essential,in order to produce the desired eifect,that the spray should be projected into the chamber B out of line with both the drip-tube opening and the respiratory aperture of said chamber. The general action on the spray is as before stated, but there will always necessarily be a certain amount of coarser and condensed spray within the chamber B. This will be returned by the drip-tube 6 back into the bottle A for use over again, and while the constituents of the spray are being violently 3O almost closed by the escaping drip, so that the churned together the drip-tube will be kept highly-saturated medicated air or vapor will be expelled through the respiratory-aperture g, and pass through the respiratory-tube E to the mouth of the person inhaling the vapor very much accelerated,of course, by the inspiratory act of the person inhaling.

By the arrangement of the openings in the chamber B out of line with each other, as described, the spray in a watery or liquid form is prevented from entering the respiratorytube, and the vapor is so fine that no condensation in said tube takes place, so that no spray in a watery or liquid condition passes into the mouth of the person inhaling.

The chamber B is not only intended to retain the medicated or chemically-charged air and more certain conduction to the mouth, or for enabling a person to reuse the condensed drip, but the principal use of said chamber is the thorough churning or mixing of the medicated sprayed liquid with the air, gas, or vapor by which it is sprayed, so as to produce an exceedingly finedivision of the spray drops or particles as well.

The drip-tube 6 during expiration is closed by the drip, while during violent inspiration the drip is projectedback into the chamber B in a fountain-like manner, thus assisting the churning or mixing process. While during expiration the medicated 'air' or vapor is being accumulated in the bottle A, and this at the succeeding inspiration passes back through the chamber B by way of the drip-tube, and from thence through the respiratory-tube E to the month.

6 into the bottle A, and from thence through the opening cor tube 8 into the room.

The apparatus may also be used to advantage for the productionof vapor-baths.

It should be observed that the leading or a conspicuous feature of this invention consists in the employment of a chamber or vessel, into which the spray is projected or introduced through an opening which is at an angle to or out of direct line of communication with the respiratory or exit opening-for the spray or vapor, whereby the spray as it is projected is caused to come in contact with a wall or surface inside of said chamber, that will cause the fine particles or drops of spray to be further reduced or made still finer or vaporized or separated from the larger drops or particles which are more rapidly run together or condensed. This, in the use of the appa-- ratus for medical purposes, is important.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is.

The combination, with the receptacle or bottle A for holding the liquid to be vaporized, having three months or openings, b c d,

of the spray-chamber having apertures e f g,

arranged out of line with each other, as deor vapor within restricted'liniits for better scribed, and the spraying tubes or devices arranged to connect the one of said apertures with the liquid-space of the receptacle, while another of said apertures connects with said receptacle by a drip tube or passage, essentially as described.

GEORGE A. EVANS.

\Vitnesses:

A. GREGORY, O. SEDGwioK. 

